Neighborhood: Taylor Run

City Councilwoman Del Pepper with husband F.J. Pepper celebrate St. Patrick's Day March 3 at Mango Mike's Restaurant.

Alexandria  Scores of Del Pepper's friends gathered at Mango Mike's last week to help start her re-election campaign. There was green beer; there was Irish-type food; there was delightful entertainment. The Irish Breakfast Band, a group of musicians of widely varying ages (one of them in fact is 10 years old — Molly Hayes) has been playing Irish music for nearly 30 years since being started by Sean Doherty. Among the members are Gordon Johnston, Karen Helbrecht, Martha Beall, Sue McIver, Marcia Finnerty, Sandy Hoar, Peter Hayes, Tom Van Wagner, Rick Netherton, Lisa Anderson, Katie Duffy, Melissa Gouffray and Roger Darus.

Photo by Jeanne Theismann

U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8) embraces Vola Lawson during City Councilwoman Del Pepper's St. Patrick's Day party at Mango Mike's March 3.

PARTYGOERS

Elected officials in attendance included U.S. Rep. Jim Moran, Mayor Bill Euille and Council Members Kerry Donley and Paul Smedberg, along with Council hopefuls Justin Wilson and John Taylor Chapman. Patsy Ticer, Randy Sengel and Ed Semonian were there, along with Dick Hobson, Donna Fossum and Vola Lawson.

Photo by Jeanne Theismann

Mike Oliver shows off his lucky charm St. Patrick's Day sign handcrafted years ago by his father.

Betty Livingston and Laura Mandala, with many helpers, organized the celebration. A dozen dancers from the Boyle School of Irish Dance rounded off the afternoon with a rousing performance of hard-shoe Irish step dancing.